Apparatus for cutting staple



p 1958 K. H. ANTHONY ETAL 2,851,103

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING STAPLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 25. 1954 lnvenL-ovs. Kenneth flfim t'hony, Edw cl d. M asko,

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4 Sheets-Sheet 4 w m W m w WWWWWW m m nwm 5 m H 6 F ffi S a w W w mm EmT: ,WWIIQ i, {I I. mm g m g a wd? F nm a I h D T. E Uu K b Sept. 9, 1958K. H. ANTHONY ETAL APPARATUS FOR CUTTING STAPLE Filed Dec. 23. 1954United States Patent APPARATUS FOR CUTTING STAPLE Kenneth H. Anthony,East Cleveland, and Edward]; Marasko, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors toIndustrial Rayon Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of DelawareApplication December 23, 1954, Serial No. 477,276

3 Claims. (Cl. 164- 61) This invention relates to an'apparatus forcutting moving lengths of textile fibers and like strandular materialinto-staple lengths. In particular, this invention relates to animproved staple cutter of the type wherein 'draw'wheels having slottedflanges are employed for feeding the strandular material to a cuttingmeans that is synchronized to pass through the rotating slots in theflanges of the draw wheels.

Staple cutters of the type disclosed in U'. S. Patent No. 2,184,452 areadvantageously employed for producing staple lengths from continuousfilament textile fibers of synthetic linear polymers, regeneratedcellulose and the like, as well as for staple from other filaments,fibers, yarns, threads and thread-like structures. Continuous filamentswhich are bundled in a ribbon-like tow, having a. flat, elongatecross-section, flatly engaged by the bight of the draw wheels are moreefiiciently and productively handled with such a cutter.

The present invention advantageously provides for an improved staplecutter of thetype based'on the principles described in theaforementioned U. S. patent. The cutter of this invention will obtain acleaner, more uniform cut, made substantially perpendicularly withoutappreciable bias, through. a ribbon-like tow of continuous textilefibers to produce cut staple lengths of more uniform characteristics.The present invention also provides for a staple cutter thatsubstantially eliminates scufling or abrading of the cut ends of thestaple lengths or of thecutting edges being employed to sever the tow;

The apparatus for cutting staple comprises anoppositely driven pair ofsubstantially congruent draw wheels having concentric rim-like flangesfor flatly engaging and drawing a ribbon-like tow or the like of textilefibers. Each of the flanges encircling the wheels is' provided with thesame number of correlative slots, extending radially through the flangesand evenly spaced at a desired circular pitch. The draw wheels arepositioned relative to one another so that correlative slots faceoneanother or match while they are rotating with the Wheels through anabutting alignment in the bight of the draw wheels to provide successivepaths through the flanges. The successive paths provided by successivepairs of abutting correlative slots aligned in a matching relationshipin the bight of the draw wheels are substantially perpendicular to acommon tangent line through the bight between the draw Wheels. Thispermits a cooperating knife blade cutting means, which extends radiallyfrom a rotating cutterhead member, to pass through the flanges to severtow into staple lengths while in the bight of the draw wheels. At leastone andadvantageously a plurality of knife blades are employed for thecutting means. Rota tion of the cutterhead member on which the cuttingmeans is mounted is synchronized with the movement .of the draw wheelsto successively pass one or a plurality of the knife blades comprisingthecutting means through spaced correlative matching'slots in the drawwheel flanges as they are successively passed through abutting, alignedpositions in thebight of the draw wheels.

The axis about which the cutterhead member rotates, advantageously, istilted at an angle 'relativei'to the common tangent line between thedraw wheels; Cutting means mounted" in the cutterhead member are rotatedin an orbit which lies in a plane disposed at an angle to the planepassing substantially parallel to and through the matching slots in thebight of the draw wheels; The plane passing parallel to and throughabutting correlative slots" in matching position in the bight of thedraw wheel flanges is normal to the tangent line between the-drawwheels. The synchronized speed of rotation of the cutting means and itsorbit angle are correlated to the peripheral spacing of the slots in thedraw wheel flanges andto the rotational rate of the draw wheels toimpartmovement to the cutting means with respect to-the tangent line betweenthebight of the draw wheels whichis substantially identical in velocityin the bight of the draw Wheels to the'drawof the tow. This allows thecutting means to effect a substantially square cut by completelysevering all the filaments in the tow through" the samesubstantially-perpendicular plane, or at thesame right angle, tothe towacross the breadth, or-fi'at dimension of the tow. A clean, uniformcutting-action isthereby elfected.

It is desiI-able for the axis about which the cutting means is "rotatedto be adjustably tiltable relative to the tangent l-ine between the drawwheels-at about a pi'vot point located on a line passing through theplane of rotation of the cutting means and intersectingthe tangent lineand th'e'center of'rotation of the cutting-means. This allow's for themovement of the cuttingmean-s alon-g the tangent line to be coincidedwith differing synchronized rotationalrates which maybe necessitatedwhen employ"- ing draw wheels: having differing numbers of slots: whichalterssthe circular pitch of the slots on the draw=wheel"s.

Advantageously the knife blades= comprisingthe cuttingtmeansaremounte'ds in the cutterhead'in an adjustably revolvable manner about:their radially extending axis-.:...Being; thus mounted the cutting meanscan be moved to ac fixed positionwherein they lieflatly'disposed duringrotation, at" an angle relative to their'orbital plane; to passsubstantially-parallel through the path provided by matching slotsaligned in the bight ofxthe draw wheels. All of. the threads orfilamentsin tlrewtcwvvazre thus-substantially perpendicularly severedby-thecuttin-g means. without appreciable bias at substantially-a rightangle..

Disposition of the cutting: means so as; topass isub'a stant-iallyparallel through the slots durin-gzrotationzpermits relatively narrowslots to be employed. More narrow slots provide for a greater towengaging surface on'the draw wheel flanges. This minimizes the.unengagedfoverhang. of the towacross the slots in the bight of thewheels. It is: ,easier to obtain a cleaner, moretuniform cut across atow maintained under more. positive tensionwhilewit is being severed.

Further features :and advantages of apparatus for outtingstaplelin'accordance with the-present invention will be apparent in thefollowing description and! theidrawing, in. which like referencenumerals refer. to: like parts wherein: a

- Figure 1 is a-schematic perspective representationgof animproved-staple cutting apparatus in: accordancenwith the presentinvention; 1

Figures 2, 3 and 4 schematically illustrategthe cutting action obtainedwith the apparatus depicted in, Figure 1; Figure 5 is a rear elevationof an embodiment, of the present invention showingthe apparatus withitscover plate removed;

Figure 6 is a plan view, in section, taken -along", 6--6 in Figure 5;, pI

Figure 7 is an elevation, cut away andpartly in ec, tion; takenalong'7'-'-7 in Figure 6 which showsthe rem 3 tionship in theillustrated embodiment between the cutting means mounted on thecutterhead assembly and the draw wheels;

Figure 8 is a side elevation, partly in section of the cutterheadassembly;

Figure 9 is an elevation of the knife blades which comprise the cuttingmeans mounted in the cutterhead mem- 'ber;

Figure 10 is a plan view of Figure 9 with the cap removed;

Figure 11 is a plan view, partly in section, of a means for mounting theknife blades in the cutterhead member to be rotatably adjustable abouttheir longitudinal extending axis;

Figure 12 is an elevation of the cutterhead member, in section, takenalong 1212 in Figure 10; and

Figure 13 is another elevation of the cutterhead member, in section,taken along 13-13 in Figure 11;

With reference to Figure 1, a pair of opposed, cooperating draw wheels31 and 38 are mounted for rotation on shafts 21 and 29. Each of the drawwheels 31 and 38 which may be of any desired diameter, is provided withrim-like flanges 33 and 40 concentrically positioned about the axes ofrotation of the shafts 21 and 29. The wheels 31 and 38 are adapted todraw a tow of textile fibers through their bight between the flanges 33and 40. The flanges 33 and 40 are provided with the same number of openended, correlative slots 37, evenly peripherally spaced and extendingradially through the flanges from the center of the draw wheels 31 and38. During rotation of the draw wheels 31 and 38, correlative slots 37on each of the flanges 33 and 40, meet as successive pairs in abuttingalignment at the tangent point or bight of the wheels. In this matchingposition the slots provide successive open paths through the flangeswhich are substantially perpendicular to a tangent line in the bightbetween the draw wheels 31 and 38. A cooperating rotating cutting means,comprising a plurality of knife blades 93, mounted on a cutterheadmember 65, is rotated by a shaft 66 about an axis which is adjustablytiltable relative to the common tangent line between the bight of thedraw wheels about a pivot point on the tangent line which is fixed atthe point of intersection of a line through the plane of rotation, whichalso intersects the axis of rotation, of the cutting means. The cuttingmeans is synchronized with rotation of the draw wheels to suecessivelypass through matching pairs of slots 37 in the draw wheel flanges 33 and40 as the slots, being rotated with the draw wheels, match in abuttingalignment in the bight of the draw wheels.

The tilt of the shaft 66 is predeterminedly set to impart a movement tothe rotating knife blades 93 with respect to the tangent line betweenthe draw wheels 31 and 38 which is substantially identical in velocityin the bight of the draw wheels to that of the tow. The cutting meansthus move, while the tow is being severed, at about the same rate as thetow along the tangent line between the draw wheels. The proper tilt ofthe shaft for effecting this is a function of the circular pitch orperipheral spacing of the slots on the draw wheels which governs thesynchronized rotational rate of the cutting means at any givenrotational rate of the draw wheels. The knife blades 93 are disposed inthe cutterhead member 65 to pass substantially parallel throughsuccessive pairs of abutting correlative slots 37 on the flanges 33 and40 while the slots are aligned in matching positions in the bight of thedraw wheels 31 and 38 to substantially perpendicularly sever a movingtow or the like.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 schematically illustrative the pro gression of aknife blade 93 through a pair of the correlative slots 37 being rotatedwith the draw wheels 31 and 38, as indicated by the directional arrows,through a matching position in the bight of the draw wheels to sever atow 120 into staple lengths 121 as the tow is drawn between the drawwheels. In Figure 2, the knife blade 93 is shown while approaching theslotted draw wheel flange 33 at a synchronized rate along a path,indicated by a broken line, while the pair of correlative slots throughwhich the cutting means will pass, designated in the drawing by theletter P, are being rotated into a matching position wherein they areabuttingly aligned in the bight of the draw wheels. The knife blade 93,as it closely approaches the bight of the draw wheels to sever the tow120, moves at a substantially identical velocity with the tow along thetangent line between the draw wheels due to its being rotated about itstilted axis through an orbit which lies in a plane which is angularlydisplaced from the plane which passes substantially parallel to andthrough aligned slots in matching position in the bight of the drawwheels and is normal to the common tangent line between the draw wheels.The knife blade 93 is adjusted to a fixed position about itslongitudinal mounting axis wherein it passes substantially parallel tothe center-line of the pair of matched slots P in the flanges when theyare aligned in the bight of the draw wheels. The tow is thussubstantially perpendicularly severed, as depicted in Figure 3.

In Figure 4, the knife blade 93 is shown after clearing the slotted drawwheel flange 40 with the pair of correlative slots P, through which ithas passed, having already been rotated with the draw wheels out ofalignment from a matching position in the bight of the draw wheels. Asubsequent staple length of the tow 120 is shown being drawn between thedraw wheels 31 and 38 for cutting into staple by successive knife bladeswhich pass through successive pairs of slots in the flanges as they arerotated through alignment in matching positions in the bight of the drawwheels.

Referring to the more specific embodiment of the invention illustratedinFigures 5, 6 and 7, a base 14 is provided for the apparatus havingthereon a mounting frame 15 and a support wall 17 for housing movingparts. A cover plate 16 encloses the frame 15. A protective cowling 18is provided about the apparatus. The substantially congruent, flanged,slotted draw wheels 31 and 38 are mounted respectively on drilled andtapped ends of shafts 21 and 29 and are secured thereto by bolts 32 and39. If desired, other suitable mounting means may be employed. The shaft21, provided with a retainer ring 22, is driven by suitable means (notshown) which may be coupled to the shaft at its extended end portion.The shaft 21 is housed in the frame 15 and is supported in bearings 23.It extends into and rotates in a flexible spindle 25 which rides in anelongate supporting aperture 19 in the wall 17.

The flexible spindle 25 cooperates with a flexible coupling 24, providedin the shaft 21 to render the draw wheel 31 laterally yieldable to slubsor other unevenness in the tow 120 or the like so that they may passbetween the draw wheels 31 and 38 without jamming or clogging. Theflexible spindle 25 may be hinged to, or slideably mounted upon, thebase 14 or other support by any suitable means (not shown) for supportduring laterally yielding movements of the draw wheel 31.

A damping device 27, such as a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder and thelike, or other suitable damping means, is connected to the flexiblespindle 25 through a shaft 26. The damping device 27 minimizesvibrations and/ or chatter in the draw wheels 31 and 38 during rotationwhile maintaining a suitable draw wheel pressure for nipping the tow 120in the bight of the draw wheels 31 and 38.

A spur gear 20 on the shaft 21 engages a mating ring gear 28 on theshaft 29 to rotate the opposed, cooperating draw wheel 38 at the samerate in an opposite direction from the draw Wheel 31. The tow 120,engaged in the bight of the draw wheels 31 and 38, is thus drawn betweenthe slotted flanges 33 and 40 at a desired linear rate dependent uponthe rotational rate employed for the draw Wheels. The shaft 29 rotatesin a fixed spindle 30, mounted between the frame 15 and the wa1l 17, andin bearings 23 housed in the frame 15 and wall 17.

Eachof the rim-like slotted flanges 33 and 40 about the draw wheels 31and 38 respectively is comprised of the same desired plurality of flangeteeth 34 to efiect a desired clrcular slot pitch along thecircumferences or peripheries of the wheels. The flange teeth 34 formthe tow engaging periphery of the flanges. They are suitably spaced toprovide the slots 37 in the flanges. The number of slots to be employedon draw wheels of a given diameter depends on the unit or basic lengthof stapledesired to be cut. A longer unit length staple is producedwithdraw wheels having fewer teeth of relatively wider proportions whichresult in a greater circular pitch or peripheral spacing for adjacentslots on the flanges.

Advantageously, each of the flange teeth 34 is removably mounted on thedraw wheels by screws 35 or other means. This permits the readyreplacement of all or portions of the flange. There is no requirement inthe event of damage to replace or repair an entire draw wheel. Further,the same flange teeth may thus be employed for different slotarrangements which may be effected by utilizing a different pair of drawwheels. Each of the flange teeth 34 is also advantageously provided witha resilient covering 36 of rubber or like material to facilitate bettertow gripping during drawing and to prevent serious damage to the cuttingmeans in the event that their synchronized passage through the slotsbecomes imperfect for one reason or another.

Synchronized cutting means, in a cooperating, adjustably tiltablecutterhead assembly, indicated generally by reference numeral 63, areprovided to pass through the slotted flanges 33 and 40 when the pairs ofcorrelative slots 37 are rotated with the draw wheels 31 and 38 throughalignment in an abutting matching position in the bight of the drawwheels. The cutterhead assembly 63 is surrounded by a protective sheetmetal well 64. The cutting means, mounted in a turret-like cutterheadmember 65, preferably are comprised of a plurality of equispaced,radially extending knife blades 93. If desired, however, only a singleknife blade may 'be' employed as the cutting means.

The cutterhead assembly 63, which is also shown in greater detail inFigure 8, is adjustably tiltable at an angle relative to the tangentline between the draw wheels about a trunnion 81 journaled in the frame15. The trunnion 81 is centered on, or about on, a line passing throughthe plane of rotation of the cutting means which intersects the commontangent line between the draw Wheels and the center of rotation of thecutting means. Tilting of the cutterhead assembly 63 changes theangulation of the plane of the orbit through which the cutting meansrotates to impart to the cutting means, during a synchronized rate ofrotation, a substantially identical rate of movement as a tow beingdrawn in the bight of the draw wheels along the common tangent line. Apivot gear 44 held on the trunnion 81 by bolts 82 tilts the cutterheadassembly 63 to the desired angulation. The pivot gear 44 is actuated bya worm 43 on a shaft 42 turned by a hand wheel 41. An indicator 45registers the degree of tilt of the cutterhead assembly 63 relative tothe tangent line between the draw wheels. The indicator 45 is comprisedof a suitably calibrated dial face 49 upon which the desired tilt angleis indicated by a pointer 48 on a gear 47 moved by the worm 46 on theshaft 42. I

The cutterhead assembly 63 is driven through a drive sprocket 51mountedon the shaft 29 by a fastener 52. A predetermined desired rate ofrotation is effected for the cutterhead assembly 63 with respect to therate of rotation of the draw wheels to synchronize the passage of thecutting means through successive pairs of aligned slots 37 in matchedpositions in the bight of the draw wheels. A chain 53 around the drivesprocket 51 passes to a cutterhead sprocket 54 for driving thecutterhead assembly 63. A displaceable idler sprocket 56 is employed foradjusting the chain 53 whenever the degree of tilt of the cutterheadassembly is altered or if the drive sprocket 51 is replacedwith analternate change sprocket 55 to effect a dilferent synchronized driverate for the cutterhead assembly 63 as would be required when employingdraw wheels having different slot arrangements for cutting staple ofdifferent basic unit lengths. The idler sprocket 56 is displaceablymounted on a vertically movable block 57 which is guided along a pair ofrods 58 supported at their lower extremity in a lug 60 onthe base 14.The movablemounting block 57 for the idler sprocket 56 is engaged by athreaded shaft 59. Rotation of the shaft 59 by means of the handwheel 61moves the sprocket 56 mounted on the block 57 to adjust the chain.

As shown in greater detail in Figure 8, the adjustably tiltablecutterhead assembly 63 consists ofa housing pivotable about the stud 81.The assembly may be locked in any tilted position by a nut tightened ona locking screw 84- which extends through the cutterhead housing 70 andan arcuate slot (not shown) in the frame 15 which is centered from thestud 81. Other means, of course, may also be employed for locking thecutterhead assembly 63 in a desired tilted position.

The lower extremity of the housing 70 is formed into a spindle 75 forthe cutterhead drive shaft 74, set in bearings 77, upon which the drivensprocket 54 is mounted. A retainer ring 78 about the shaft 74 abuts theend bearings. A seal 76 encloses the spindle 75. Packing 79 may beemployed about both ends of the shaft 74 in the spindle 75.

A bevel gear 73 on the shaft 74 drives a mating bevel gear 71 on thecutterhead shaft 66 to rotate the cutterhead member. 65 mounted thereon.The cutterhead shaft 66 is set in the spindle 69 through bearings 67. Aretainer and seal 72- is employed about the shaft 66. The seal 72 alsoencloses the lower extremity of the spindle 69. Packing 79 is alsoemployedaboutthe shaft 66.

As illustrated in Figures 9 through '13, the plurality of knife blades93 which comprise the cutting means are mounted in the cutterhead:member 65 to be adjustably revolvable about their radially extending,longitudinal axes. The cutterhead member 65 is secured to the cutterheadshaft 66 by the'bolts 89 through apertures 90. Each of the knife blades93 is part of aknife blade cartridge, indicated generally by thereference numeral 92. Each knife blade cartridge 92- is comprised of acylindrical blade holder 94, encircled by a positioning shoulder or boss95, in which the knife blades 93 are secured by bolts 97 in tappedapertures 96 extending through the cylindrical blade holders 94.

The knife blade cartridges 92 fit in recesses which are bored in thecutterhead member and are held in place by threaded cylindricalretaining rings 100 in tapped seats 101. Spanner wrench holes 102-in theretaining. rings 100 are provided to permit their proper location in.the seats 101 against the cartridge bosses 95 or for their removal whenit is desired to extract a cartridge 92 from the cutterhead member 65.A'plurality of-locating pins 103, positioned eccentrically on the innerends of each of the cylindrical blade holders 94,extend inwardly towardsthe center of the cutterhead member 65. The eccentrically positionedlocating pins 103 engage an adjusting screw 105, threaded centrally inthe cutterhead member 65, through the apertures 106 in the adjusting.screw. Movement of the adjusting screw by its hex head 107 revolves theknife blade cartridges 92- by the pins 103 to fix the knife bladecutting means 93 in a desired disposition about their radial,longitudinally extending axes until they are in the substantiallyparallel to the matched slot center-line position desired for passingthroughpairs of correlative slots 37 when they are aligned in matchingpositions in the bight of the draw'wheels. A suitable locking means (notshown) maybe employed for'the adjusting screw 105.

Advantageously the cutting edges of the knife blades 93 are swept ortapered back from the cartridge 92, as illustrated, so that theyperpendicularly sever the tow at a slight angle across its width or flatdimension when the knife blades are revolved in the cutterhead 65 topass substantially parallel to the center-line passing through abutting,matched slots 37. In this way the heel of knife blade 93, which firstcontacts the tow, will lie above the tip in the plane of rotation whenthe tapered blade is longitudinally revolved to pass substantiallyparallel to the center-line passing through aligned slots. This servesto improve the quality of the width cut on the tow since the cuttingedge of the tapered knife blade progressively drops while cutting acrossthe width of the moving tow.

The knife blade adjustment is indicated on a scribed and numerated face110 on the cutterhead 65. Preferably, the threads of the adjusting screw105 are proportioned to revolve the knife blades 93 through an entiredesired range of adjustment within a single turn. A pointer 109 attachedto the adjusting screw 105 indicates the revolved position of the knifeblades 93 on the face 110. A cap 87 is threaded on the cutterhead 65 tocover its face 110.

The extent to which the knife blades 93 must be revolved in thecutterhead to pass substantially parallel to the center-line passingthrough each pair of abutting, correlative slots aligned in matchingpositions in the bight of the draw wheels depends upon the tilt angle ofthe cutterhead assembly 63. This, as mentioned, varies with theperipheral slot spacing of the draw wheels at given synchronized ratesof rotation for the draw wheels and the cutting means. On this basis,both the indicator 45 for showing the degree of tilt of the cutterheadassembly 63 and the face 110 on the cutterhead 65 showing the revolveddisposition of the knife blades 93 may be similarly calibrated forsetting the cutterhead assembly and the knife blades to desiredpositions correlated to diflering peripheral slot spacings on givendiameter draw wheels. Or the calibration may be made directly to thenumber of slots occuring in various given diameter draw wheels which maybe employed.

In operation, the rotation of the cutterhead member 65 is synchronizedto successively pass each of the knife blades mounted thereon throughsuccessive pairs of correlative slots on the draw wheel flanges duringtheir rotation through aligned and abutting matched positions in thebight of the draw wheels. A tow is thus severed in the bight of the drawwheels to produce staple having a unit length equivalent to theperipheral slot spacing in the draw wheels. The staple length can bevaried with any given set of draw wheels in lengths which are multiplesof the unit length being cut with Wheels having a given pheripheral slotspacing by synchronizing the knife blades to successively pass throughalternate paired slots in the draw wheels or through every third pair,etc. This may be accomplished without changing the synchronizedrotational rate of the cutting means relative to the draw wheels byremoving alternate knife blades from the cutterhead member. For example,if six knife blades in the cutterhead are synchronized to successivelypass through each adjacent pair of maching slots in the draw wheels, thecut length of the staple can readily be doubled without changing theperipheral slot spacing on the draw wheels or the relative rate ofrotation of the cutterhead assembly by employing only three equispacedknife blades in the cutterhead. A staple length having three times thebasic unit length obtainable with draw wheels having a given peripheralslot spacing can likewise be cut by employing only two equispaced knifeblades in the cutterhead member, etc.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, various lengths ofstaple can readily be produced by varying any combination of either thecircular pitch of the slots on the draw wheels which determines theirperipheral spacing, the synchronized rate of rotation of the cuttingmeans relative to the driven rate of the draw wheels or the num- 8 herof knife blade cutting means employed at given synchronized rates ofrotation.

Since certain changes, altered embodiments and modifications ofapparatus in accordance with the present invention may readily beentered into and practiced with out substantially departing from theintended spirit and scope of the invention, it is to be fully understoodthat the foregoing specification and description be taken as merelyillustrative and in no sense or manner should it be construed aslimiting or restrictive of the invention as set forth and defined in theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for cutting moving lengths of textile fibers and likestrandular material into the staple lengths; a pair of opposedcooperating wheels for drawing the standular material; rimlike flangesencircling each of said draw wheels; a like plurality of correlativeslots in each of the flanges on said draw wheels; said slots whenrotated into alignment in the bight of said draw wheels providingsuccessive paths through said flanges substantially perpendicular to thecommon tangent line in said bight; a cooperating cutting meanssynchronized to successively pass substantially perpendicular to saidtangent line through successive pairs of said correlative slots in saidflanges while in the bight of said draw wheels, said cutting meansmounted for rotation about an axis pivotally supported and tilted at anangle with respect to the common tangent line through the bight of thedraw wheels and in a plane parallel to said draw wheels; adjustablemeans for varying the tilt of the axis in the said parallel plane aboutwhich said cutting means are rotated in accordance with changes in thespacing of the slots in the flanges, and said adjustable means being apivotable support centered on a line through the plane of rotation ofthe cutting means and about intersecting the common tangent line betweenthe draw wheels and the axis of rotation of said cutting means.

2. In an apparatus for cutting moving lengths of textile fibers and likestrandular matertial into staple lengths; a pair of opposed cooperatingwheels for drawing the strandular material; rim-like flanges encirclingeach of said draw wheels; a like plurality of open-ended, correlativeslots through each of the flanges on said draw wheels; said slots whenrotated into alignment in the bight of said draw wheels providingsuccessive paths through said flanges substantially perpendicular to thecommon tangent line in said bight; a least one cooperating knife bladesynchronized to successively pass through successive pairs of saidcorrelative slots in said flanges while in the bight of said drawwheels, each knife blade being mounted for rotation through an orbitabout a common axis pivotally supported and tilted at an angle withrespect to the common tangent line through the bight of the draw wheelsand in a plane parallel to said draw wheels; adjustable means forvarying the tilt of the common axis in the said parallel plane aboutwhich each knife blade is rotated in accordance with changes in slotspacing in said slotted flanges; said adjustable means being a pivotalsupport for said cutting means centered on a line through the plane ofrotation of said cutting means and about intersecting the common tangentline between the draw wheels and the axis of rotation of said cuttingmeans; and means for revolving each knife blade about its longitudinalaxis to a fixed position wherein it passes substantially parallel to andthrough the paths provided by correlative slots in the draw wheelflanges when said slots are aligned in the bight of the draw wheels.

3. In an apparatus for cutting moving lengths of textile fibers and likestrandular material into staple lengths; a pair of opposed cooperatingdraw wheels; rim-like flanges encircling each of said draw wheels; drivemeans for rotating said draw wheels in opposite directions at the samerate to draw strandular material between said flanges in the bight ofsaid draw wheels; a like plurality of open-ended, correlative slotsthrough each 'of the flanges on said draw wheels; said slots whenrotated into alignment in the bight of said draw wheels providingsuccessive paths through said flanges which are substantiallyperpendicular to the common tangent line in said bight; at least onecooperating knife blade held in a cutterhead member; said cutterheadmember being rotatably mounted on a pivotally supported axis tilted atan angle in the direction of passing strandular material and withrespect to the common tangent line between the draw wheels and in aplane parallel to said draw wheels; drive means for rotating saidcutterhead member synchronized with said draw wheel drive means anddriven thereby to rotate each knife blade held in said cutterhead memberin an orbit to pass successively through successive pairs of saidcorrelative slots in said flanges in the bight of said draw wheels;adjustable means for pivotally varying the tilt of said cutterhead axis;said adjustable means being a pivotable support 10 for mounting thecutterhead member centered on a line through the plane of rotation ofsaid cutting means and substantially intersecting the common tangentline between the draw wheels and the center of rotation of said cuttingmeans; and means in said cutterhead member for simultaneously revolvingeach knife blade held therein to a fixed position about its longitudinalaxis wherein it passes substantially parallel to and through the pathsprovided by correlative slots in the draw wheel flanges when said slotsare aligned in the bight of the draw wheels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS737,430 Lyon Aug. 25, 1903 745,965 Lyon Dec. 1, 1903 1,880,031 AshmanSept. 27, 1932 2,184,452 Grunnert Dec. 26, 1939 2,205,036 Hamel June 18,1940 2,587,732 Iaeger Mar. 4, 1952

